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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bore — to drill
  6. club — a group
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a lid
  9. press — to push
  10. suit — to fit
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — of ice
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. club — for golf
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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