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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. staff — a stick
  4. press — to push
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — a publisher
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — to drill
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees

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