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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. file — a line of people
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a document
  5. object — to protest
  6. rule — government
  7. object — a thing
  8. stock — goods
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stock — shares
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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