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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 120 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have 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. file — a document
  3. firm — decided
  4. drill — army training
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — steady
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. net — in sport
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. net — for catching
  13. file — a tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. net — after costs
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — a company
  19. mate — a partner
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bore — to drill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mate — a friend

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