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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: bowl · file · present · board · rock · rest · mouse · wound

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rest — a break
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. file — a line of people
  9. board — to get on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. board — a committee
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — the time now
  15. file — a document
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. rock — music
  22. file — a tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — a gift

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