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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. band — a music group
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. kick — in football
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. race — a contest
  16. band — a ring
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. race — humankind
  20. foot — a measure
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com