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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: bulb · bound · mark · bowl · bore · file · wake · press

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. file — a document
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bound — certain
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bound — tied together

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