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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. drill — a practice
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. drill — the tool
  10. file — a document
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — army training
  15. pound — a weight
  16. press — to push
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to drill
  23. tube — a container
  24. file — a tool

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