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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. firm — a company
  3. lean — thin
  4. bore — to drill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. sharp — clever
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — steady
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. firm — decided
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  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