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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — low music
  11. row — a line
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bore — to tire
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. press — to push
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bear — the animal

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