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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. file — a document
  6. rule — government
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rule — a law
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bore — to tire
  20. file — a tool
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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