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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to drill
  3. date — the fruit
  4. spell — magic
  5. press — to push
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stock — goods
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stock — shares
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. spell — letters
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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