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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. roll — a list
  8. present — there
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rock — music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — a gift
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bore — to drill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stand — to bear
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. press — to push
  22. present — the time now
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mate — a friend

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