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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. firm — a company
  3. press — to push
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. field — farmland
  7. club — a group
  8. firm — steady
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. club — for dancing
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — music
  15. firm — decided
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — a subject
  18. spell — magic
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. spell — letters
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rock — a stone

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