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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. snap — to click
  13. race — a contest
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. net — in sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. track — to keep track
  18. net — after costs
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — all right
  24. net — for catching

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