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

Word bank: bulb · file · cabinet · ruler · bore · stick · cap · snap

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. file — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cap — a hat
  8. snap — to click
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cap — of ice
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bulb — for light
  19. file — a document
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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