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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stock — shares
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. object — a thing
  17. bore — to drill
  18. object — an aim
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stock — goods
  21. object — to protest
  22. file — a tool
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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