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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. scale — in music
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. file — a document
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. file — a tool

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