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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bore — to tire
  8. file — a document
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. land — a country
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. file — a tool
  24. bat — the animal

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