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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. current — electric
  3. season — in sport
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bore — to drill
  6. file — a tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a plant
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. file — a document
  18. season — of the year
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. root — of a word
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bore — to tire

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