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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — a price
  7. court — of law
  8. charge — in control
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fine — high quality
  11. court — for sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rest — what's left
  15. court — of a king
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. degree — from a university
  18. race — a contest
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bore — to drill
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fine — all right
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rest — a break

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