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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — for a lock
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — in music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pound — a weight

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