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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. file — a document
  3. kick — in football
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — a trace
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. band — a music group
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. file — a line of people
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. file — a tool
  19. shower — rain
  20. mark — a grade
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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