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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: branch · race · nail · cap · bay · deal · chair · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. race — a contest
  4. cap — a lid
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a leader
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bore — to tire
  22. race — humankind
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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