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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 116 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ground — a position
  8. pop — soda
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pop — music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. game — wild animals
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pop — to visit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — to push
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bore — gave birth

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