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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: ball · season · charge · bore · ruler · file · mine · bowl

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. file — a tool
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. charge — a price
  16. mine — for digging
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. charge — in control
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bore — to tire

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