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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 124 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. land — to come down
  5. race — humankind
  6. track — a song
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — a country
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — a path
  13. lean — thin
  14. track — to keep track
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. land — ground

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