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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. sharp — clever
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. press — to push
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. roll — a list
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. date — on the calendar

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