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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bark — to shout
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. press — a publisher
  7. spell — letters
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bore — to tire
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. season — of the year
  14. press — to push
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. scale — size or range
  18. season — in sport
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bore — gave birth

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