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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. press — a publisher
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. net — for catching
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spell — letters
  10. lean — to bend
  11. spell — a short time
  12. press — to push
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. net — after costs
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. spell — magic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. press — newspapers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — thin

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