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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. race — a contest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. race — humankind
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. scale — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — of a plant

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