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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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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: fan · ruler · stick · file · perch · bay · bore · tube

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. file — a tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. file — a document
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bore — to drill
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. bore — gave birth
  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