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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pit — a hole
  10. file — a line of people
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — a grade
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. staff — employees

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