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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: spell · jam · bore · race · hide · chip · wound · bear

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. spell — letters
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bore — to tire
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. race — humankind
  16. spell — magic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. race — a contest
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to drill
  21. chip — for betting
  22. spell — a short time
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chip — to eat

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