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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. swing — music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. press — to push
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. shower — rain
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a great time
  17. perch — the fish
  18. shower — to wash
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. press — newspapers

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