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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. press — a publisher
  5. rush — hurry
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cold — not warm
  8. root — of a word
  9. cold — an illness
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. root — the cause
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. root — of a plant
  15. press — to push
  16. suit — clothes
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — all right
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cold — the Cold War

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