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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. file — a document
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. swing — in golf
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. file — a tool
  11. shower — rain
  12. foot — a measure
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bore — to tire
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. file — a line of people
  24. chip — for betting

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