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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a path
  5. perch — the fish
  6. spring — the season
  7. press — to push
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — for pool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. spring — a coil
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spring — of water
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cue — a signal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — a song
  21. cue — a hint
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bore — to tire
  24. patient — a sick person

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