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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bore — to tire
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bound — certain
  11. degree — temperature
  12. press — newspapers
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. press — a publisher
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a face
  22. press — to push
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — a measure

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