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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitch — completely
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bark — to shout
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bark — of a tree

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