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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rock — a stone
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bore — to tire
  10. file — a document
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. content — happy
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. court — for sport

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