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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. press — newspapers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pound — a weight
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. drill — army training
  23. press — a publisher
  24. perch — for a bird

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