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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rule — a law
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — a break
  15. fall — the season
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fall — to drop
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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