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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. file — a document
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a line of people
  11. charge — in control
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pound — a weight
  21. charge — a price
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to drill

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