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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. season — in sport
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. race — a contest
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — employees
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — a subject
  11. season — of the year
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. staff — employees
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. field — farmland
  17. race — humankind
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. race — the arms race
  23. staff — a stick
  24. object — to protest

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