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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. field — farmland
  5. hand — in cards
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tear — to rip
  8. last — finally
  9. hand — help
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — to push
  12. last — final
  13. tear — from crying
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — a publisher
  17. field — for sport
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. last — to go on
  22. field — a subject
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tear — from crying

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