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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: file · board · chip · bore · fan · racket · ground · rule

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. file — a tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. board — a committee
  10. ground — a position
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rule — government
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chip — for betting
  18. board — to get on
  19. ground — crushed
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a document
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chip — to eat

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