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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lie — to recline
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bore — to tire
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rash — a series
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rash — hasty
  12. shower — rain
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. shower — to wash
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. clip — to cut
  18. rock — music
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. press — newspapers

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