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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. kick — in football
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. net — for catching
  5. bore — to drill
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rule — a law
  8. craft — boats
  9. net — after costs
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rule — government
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fork — in a road
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mark — a trace
  22. file — a tool
  23. net — in sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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