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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. dip — to sink
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pit — a hole
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. press — to push
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rash — a series
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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