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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — thin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stock — shares
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stock — goods
  12. race — humankind
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. race — a contest
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — to tire

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