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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — thin
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lean — to bend
  24. dip — a sauce

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