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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bore — to drill
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. game — wild animals
  19. branch — a division
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. game — a match
  22. file — a document
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bore — to tire

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