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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. net — for catching
  3. bore — to drill
  4. net — after costs
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. tube — a container
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. net — in sport
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bound — tied together
  12. last — final
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. tube — the underground
  16. last — finally
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bound — obliged
  20. last — to go on
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. press — to push
  24. bound — certain

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