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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. race — a contest
  7. key — the most important part
  8. race — humankind
  9. face — to point toward
  10. key — in music
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a line
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bore — to drill

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