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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. charge — a price
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ground — the earth
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ground — a position
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ground — crushed

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