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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: wound · bound · file · cabinet · pit · leaves · mark · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. file — a tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — a hole
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wound — an injury
  9. file — a document
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bound — certain
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — in a race

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