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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bore — to tire
  5. season — in sport
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rash — a series
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. degree — from a university
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. degree — an amount
  18. sharp — clever
  19. season — of the year
  20. toast — bread
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. press — a publisher
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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