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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: wind · race · key · rule · nail · lie · vault · bore

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. race — a contest
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — in music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. key — the most important part
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. vault — a safe
  21. race — humankind
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wind — moving air
  24. race — the arms race

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