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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bore — to drill
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spring — the season
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. plane — a tool
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chip — to eat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bore — to tire
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — for betting
  21. club — a group
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. spring — of water
  24. press — to push

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