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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bore — to tire
  13. date — the fruit
  14. press — to push
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — the tool
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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