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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. race — a contest
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — in golf
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. race — humankind
  22. rush — hurry
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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