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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — a contest
  4. rush — hurry
  5. drill — the tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. can — a tin
  10. race — humankind
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — to be able to
  13. drill — army training
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. board — to get on
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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