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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. file — a tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rule — government
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. scale — in music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. file — a document
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. file — a line of people

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