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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. file — a tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. hand — help
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hand — in cards
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bore — to drill
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. staff — employees
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a document
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hand — part of the body

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