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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: coach · wound · present · kick · mark · bore · squash · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. present — the time now
  3. bore — to drill
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. present — a gift
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. present — there
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wound — an injury
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — a trace
  12. file — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — a grade
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. file — a document
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mark — to pay attention

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