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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · bore · dip · stock · arm · tear · row · race

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. dip — to sink
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — to paddle
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stock — goods
  15. race — the arms race
  16. row — a line
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stock — shares
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — in cards
  24. row — a quarrel

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