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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bore — to drill
  8. row — a line
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. press — to push
  16. row — to paddle
  17. press — a publisher
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. face — part of the head
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. face — to confront

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