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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: bore · file · degree · board · safe · stick · deal · bass

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. file — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. file — a line of people
  13. degree — temperature
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bass — low music
  16. degree — an amount
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. file — a document

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