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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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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bore — to tire
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rest — what's left
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. drill — army training
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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