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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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468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — a publisher
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kid — to tease
  11. press — newspapers
  12. kid — child
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. root — the cause
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — to push
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. arm — part of the body

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