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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bore — to tire
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. object — a thing
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. object — an aim
  12. bore — to drill
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — to protest
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chair — a leader
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stand — for spectators

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