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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 124 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. file — a document
  14. kick — in football
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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