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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — help
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. drill — a practice
  10. suit — to fit
  11. race — a contest
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — in cards
  14. drill — the tool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hand — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. spell — letters
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a tree

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