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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. file — a line of people
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. sharp — clever
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — to confront
  9. court — of law
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. court — of a king
  12. file — a tool
  13. court — for sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bore — to tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. file — a document
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. staff — a stick

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