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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 116 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: file · wound · key · craft · stock · pound · bore · deal

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. file — a tool
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — the most important part
  15. file — a document
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — boats
  24. deal — to handle

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