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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. hand — help
  5. fall — the season
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fall — to drop
  9. file — a tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bowl — a dish

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