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

Word bank: race · pit · bore · rule · wax · drill · perch · vault

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wax — to grow
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. race — a contest
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — a law
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. race — humankind
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. drill — army training
  24. bore — gave birth

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