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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. press — to push
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. field — a subject
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. press — newspapers
  20. field — for sport
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. field — farmland
  23. can — to be able to
  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