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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. staff — employees
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. march — the month
  9. bore — to tire
  10. press — newspapers
  11. march — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rock — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. march — the month
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pass — a permit
  21. press — to push
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. perch — for a bird

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