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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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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: lash · stock · wave · bore · drill · dip · race · bound

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. race — humankind
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. race — the arms race
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bore — to tire
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. race — a contest
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — shares
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. bound — certain

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