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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 · bore · bay · calf · pit · mouse · cap · sharp

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bore — to tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a document
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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