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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. shower — to wash
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chair — a leader
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. press — to push

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