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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: file · bulb · coach · mark · saw · bore · rule · stick

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rule — a law
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — government
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. file — a document
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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