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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pop — soda
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mine — for digging
  8. last — to go on
  9. bore — to drill
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — clothes
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. last — final
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pop — to visit
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pop — music
  22. last — finally
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. press — to push

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