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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. press — to push
  3. bank — for money
  4. spring — a coil
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. press — newspapers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. scale — in music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. spring — of water
  12. scale — size or range
  13. foot — a measure
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. spring — the season
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bank — for money

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