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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. degree — temperature
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tear — from crying
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — a publisher
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mate — to breed
  18. press — to push
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. tear — from crying
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. tear — to rip
  24. degree — an amount

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