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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — a skill
  11. race — humankind
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. race — a contest
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. dip — to sink
  17. craft — boats
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — the most important part
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to tire

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