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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wound — an injury
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. chest — of your body
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chest — a box
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — to push
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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