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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. file — a document
  5. fine — high quality
  6. capital — money
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. file — a tool
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bore — to drill
  11. present — a gift
  12. pit — in a race
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bore — to tire
  16. present — there
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. capital — a city
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — all right
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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