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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — hurry
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — low music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. press — to push
  23. can — a tin
  24. foot — the bottom

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