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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rash — a series
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. swing — music
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. press — to push
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — newspapers
  19. swing — in golf
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chip — for betting
  22. deal — to handle
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rash — hasty

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