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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. rest — a break
  7. race — humankind
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. race — a contest
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pop — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wake — a trail
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pop — to visit

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