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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. row — to paddle
  4. press — newspapers
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. press — a publisher
  7. track — a path
  8. bore — to tire
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. land — a country
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. track — to keep track
  13. clip — to cut
  14. track — a song
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. clip — for paper
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. press — to push
  20. clip — a video
  21. land — to come down
  22. row — a line
  23. land — ground
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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