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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. press — to push
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — newspapers
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — to tire

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