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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. root — the cause
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bore — to tire
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. root — of a word
  11. bore — to drill
  12. press — to push
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. root — of a plant
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bear — to put up with

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