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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: file · race · squash · object · rock · fine · hide · bore

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fine — high quality
  4. object — a thing
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rock — music
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bore — to drill
  11. squash — to crush
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rock — a stone
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bore — to tire
  18. race — a contest
  19. file — a document
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — all right
  22. file — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — humankind

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