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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. date — the fruit
  8. race — the arms race
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. board — to get on
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — to tire
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. board — a committee
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. date — on the calendar

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