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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bore — to tire
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a word
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. charge — a price
  11. file — a tool
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. file — a document
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. charge — electricity
  20. root — the cause
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bore — to drill
  23. saw — the tool
  24. hand — in cards

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