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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. bore — to drill
  3. ground — a position
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. drill — army training
  8. charge — in control
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. charge — a price
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. drill — a practice
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bore — to tire
  19. file — a line of people
  20. squash — the sport
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. charge — electricity
  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