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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. last — to go on
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. tube — a container
  8. last — finally
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. last — final
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to tire
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. press — to push
  20. march — the month
  21. tube — the underground
  22. march — music
  23. spell — magic
  24. march — the month

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