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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: swing · drill · file · ruler · present · pop · board · safe

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pop — to visit
  3. present — a gift
  4. pop — soda
  5. file — a document
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — music
  9. board — a committee
  10. file — a tool
  11. swing — in golf
  12. board — to get on
  13. swing — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — a practice
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — to play on
  22. present — there
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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