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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bore — to drill
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. object — a thing
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rest — a break
  12. stock — shares
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. press — to push
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stock — goods
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. object — an aim

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