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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 112 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. file — a tool
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bore — to drill
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. net — for catching
  13. pop — soda
  14. can — a tin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. net — after costs
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. can — a tin
  24. net — in sport

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