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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a line of people
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bore — to tire
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. sharp — clever
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. craft — boats
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. craft — a skill
  18. file — a document
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bore — to drill

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