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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 116 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: rest · file · fine · game · bulb · shower · bore · bear

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. game — wild animals
  4. file — a line of people
  5. shower — to wash
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — all right
  13. file — a tool
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. file — a document
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rest — a break
  24. bore — to tire

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