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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 120 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: sharp · bore · file · degree · press · drill · mouse · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — army training
  5. degree — an amount
  6. file — a line of people
  7. press — newspapers
  8. drill — a practice
  9. board — a committee
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. file — a document
  16. bore — to drill
  17. sharp — clever
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bore — to tire
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. file — a tool
  24. drill — the tool

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