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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. file — a tool
  3. press — to push
  4. file — a document
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — to grow
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to tire
  23. swing — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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