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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fine — high quality
  6. press — to push
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fine — all right
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ball — a great time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. press — newspapers

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