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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — to push
  7. capital — money
  8. game — a match
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. game — wild animals
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bore — to drill
  21. capital — a city
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — to eat with
  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