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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pop — music
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. file — a tool
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a document
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. object — an aim
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pop — soda
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. object — a thing
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mark — a grade

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