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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. drill — army training
  5. race — humankind
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. clip — a video
  16. race — the arms race
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to tire
  19. race — a contest
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bank — of a river

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