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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. root — of a word
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. root — the cause
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — to push
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. root — of a plant
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a hole
  24. lash — an eyelash

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