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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 120 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bore — to drill
  5. drill — a practice
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. drill — army training
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. file — a document
  11. squash — the sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. file — a tool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rock — music
  24. bore — to tire

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