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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bank — for money
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. press — to push
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stand — for spectators

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