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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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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rest — what's left
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rest — a break
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rest — what's left
  18. saw — the tool

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