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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kid — child
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. press — a publisher
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. can — a tin
  14. kid — to tease
  15. press — to push
  16. bore — to drill
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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