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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 124 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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — for dancing
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. bore — to tire
  15. club — for golf
  16. file — a tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. suit — to fit
  19. club — a group
  20. mug — a face
  21. spring — a coil
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of a tree

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