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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: dip · bore · fall · season · club · race · saw · ruler

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. season — in sport
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fall — the season
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. club — for dancing
  9. race — humankind
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for golf
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to tire
  18. season — of the year
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bore — to drill
  22. club — a group
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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