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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · lie · season · file · jam · mouse · fine · snap

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. file — a document
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. season — of the year
  7. lie — to recline
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. file — a tool
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. snap — to click
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. file — a line of people
  24. jam — in traffic

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