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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cap — a hat
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a lid
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — soda
  11. track — a path
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. charge — in control
  14. pop — music
  15. track — a song
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — a price
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cap — of ice

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