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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: file · bore · current · rock · net · date · clip · chip

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — for betting
  5. clip — a video
  6. file — a line of people
  7. chip — to eat
  8. current — electric
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. net — in sport
  11. file — a tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. clip — for paper
  17. net — after costs
  18. current — happening now
  19. net — for catching
  20. file — a document
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rock — music
  24. clip — to cut

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