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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 116 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — a publisher
  4. dip — to sink
  5. press — to push
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. capital — a city
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mouse — for a computer

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