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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. bore — to drill
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. sharp — clever
  6. file — a document
  7. pop — music
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. file — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rash — a series
  22. bank — for money
  23. rash — hasty
  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