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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. press — to push
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bound — certain
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bore — to drill

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