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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. swing — in golf
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ground — crushed
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. ground — a position
  19. swing — music
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. toast — bread
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lie — an untruth

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