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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. last — to go on
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. press — to push
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mate — to breed
  10. last — final
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. last — finally
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fine — all right
  18. press — newspapers
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tear — from crying
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fine — a penalty

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