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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. drill — army training
  5. pop — soda
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bore — to drill
  8. sharp — clever
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bore — to tire
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pop — music
  15. object — an aim
  16. drill — a practice
  17. object — a thing
  18. pop — to visit
  19. press — to push
  20. content — the amount
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. content — happy
  23. object — to protest
  24. bulb — for light

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