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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. band — a ring
  3. press — newspapers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bore — to tire
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — to drill
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. press — to push
  11. snap — to click
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. band — a music group
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. vault — a safe
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pitcher — a jug

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