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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. degree — from a university
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mark — a grade
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. file — a document
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bore — to drill
  17. degree — temperature
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a tool

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