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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. club — for golf
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. press — a publisher
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bore — to drill
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. lean — to bend
  9. snap — to click
  10. lean — thin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. club — a group
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — to push
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. club — for dancing
  22. drill — the tool
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bore — to tire

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