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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. file — a tool
  5. shower — to wash
  6. net — for catching
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. face — to point toward
  11. shower — rain
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bore — to drill
  14. face — to confront
  15. deal — to handle
  16. net — in sport
  17. file — a line of people
  18. net — after costs
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — the fish

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