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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 120 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: bore · race · cue · bay · ruler · key · land · bear

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. land — to come down
  6. bore — to drill
  7. key — for a lock
  8. race — a contest
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — a hint
  20. land — a country
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. land — ground
  24. cue — a signal

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