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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — to push
  3. present — the time now
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pit — in a race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. toast — bread
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. swing — music
  15. rock — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rock — a stone

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