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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: wave · charge · bore · fork · race · board · bowl · ruler

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. race — the arms race
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. race — a contest
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. charge — a price
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bore — to tire
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — in control
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — humankind

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