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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cap — a lid
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. charge — in control
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. race — a contest
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ball — a dance
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — a price
  24. straw — dry grass

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