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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — to drill
  5. race — humankind
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. field — farmland
  14. ball — a dance
  15. race — a contest
  16. ball — a great time
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fork — in a road
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bore — to tire
  21. field — for sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. field — a subject
  24. dip — to sink

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