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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mate — a partner
  8. file — a line of people
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rock — music
  15. file — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mug — to rob
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mug — a face
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fall — the season
  23. mate — to breed
  24. file — a document

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