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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: sharp · race · bore · fan · nail · roll · lie · row

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to drill
  4. race — a contest
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. race — the arms race
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a list
  10. sharp — clever
  11. race — humankind
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. row — a line
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. row — to paddle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — a cake
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — an untruth

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