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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. file — a tool
  6. present — there
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. present — a gift
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — to go on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. file — a line of people
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — to tire
  17. file — a document
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bass — low music
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bass — the instrument

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