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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. file — a document
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. degree — an amount
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rest — a break
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — temperature

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