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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. firm — decided
  3. bore — to drill
  4. firm — steady
  5. track — a path
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. track — to keep track
  8. file — a line of people
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. drill — army training
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cell — in biology
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — a company
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. ball — a great time
  18. file — a tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — a song
  24. file — a document

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