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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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — to tire
  5. race — humankind
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stock — goods
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. race — the arms race
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. race — a contest
  13. stock — shares
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — gave birth

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