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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. press — to push
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — clothes
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wound — an injury
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. press — newspapers
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. suit — to fit

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