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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a hole
  3. press — newspapers
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. kid — child
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — to tease
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to tire
  17. press — to push
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. tube — a container

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