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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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 document
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. drill — a practice
  4. swing — to play on
  5. staff — employees
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. swing — music
  11. lean — thin
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — bread
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bore — to drill
  18. drill — army training
  19. bore — to tire
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. swing — in golf
  22. file — a line of people
  23. drill — the tool
  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