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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — a hat
  3. firm — decided
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mug — a face
  9. press — a publisher
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. cap — of ice
  13. press — to push
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mug — to rob
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — a line
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. press — newspapers
  24. cap — a lid

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