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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lean — thin
  3. race — the arms race
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rock — a stone
  7. race — a contest
  8. present — there
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. race — humankind
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bore — to tire
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bore — to drill
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — a committee
  19. toast — bread
  20. lean — to bend
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. present — the time now
  24. toast — the most admired

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