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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: bore · object · bowl · track · race · craft · nail · clip

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bore — to drill
  3. clip — to cut
  4. object — a thing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. track — a song
  12. craft — a skill
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — to tire
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. clip — for paper
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — boats
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. nail — on a finger

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