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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a partner
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. file — a document
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to sink
  21. can — a tin
  22. press — to push
  23. bore — to tire
  24. can — to be able to

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