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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — to push
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mug — to rob
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. press — newspapers
  15. spell — letters
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bat — the animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a face
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bore — to drill

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