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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. land — ground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. race — a contest
  14. swing — to play on
  15. degree — an amount
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. land — to come down
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. land — a country

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