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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pit — a hole
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pit — in a race
  6. press — to push
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — steady
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. firm — decided
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — to tire
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. drill — army training
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. firm — a company
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. press — newspapers
  24. drill — the tool

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