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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cap — a hat
  15. file — a tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bore — to drill
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bulb — for light

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