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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mug — a face
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mug — a cup
  16. race — humankind
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bound — certain

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