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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. track — a song
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. press — newspapers
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. track — a path
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rule — a law
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rule — government
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — to push
  24. patient — a sick person

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