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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — humankind
  4. rock — a stone
  5. suit — clothes
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rock — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rash — a series
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. race — a contest
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. row — a line
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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