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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. present — there
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. nail — for a hammer

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