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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. game — a match
  3. rock — a stone
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — completely
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — a friend
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mate — to breed
  23. degree — an amount
  24. game — a kind of play

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