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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · bore · file · ruler · shower · drill · hide · face

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. shower — to wash
  3. current — of water
  4. drill — a practice
  5. shower — rain
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a line of people
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. current — electric
  22. face — to point toward
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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