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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · saw · rest · hide · file · ball · bore · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. file — a document
  3. rest — a break
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. file — a tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rule — government
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rule — a law
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — of the year
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — to tire
  20. file — a line of people
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ball — a round shape

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