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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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — to push
  3. key — in music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ground — the earth
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — size or range
  13. tube — a container
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — the most important part
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ground — a position
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ground — crushed

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