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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. kid — child
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bore — to tire
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ground — a position
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. press — a publisher
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — a container
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. press — to push

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