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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rest — a break
  5. tube — a container
  6. race — the arms race
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. race — a contest
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rest — what's left
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. race — humankind
  24. nail — on a finger

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