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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bore — to drill
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. file — a document
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a tool
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. file — a line of people
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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