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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mate — a friend
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — to drill
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — humankind
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. race — a contest
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rush — hurry

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