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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. content — the amount
  3. file — a document
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bore — to tire
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cap — a lid
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. content — happy
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — the animal

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