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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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — finally
  6. pit — in a race
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. last — to go on
  10. field — farmland
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bore — to tire
  18. scale — in music
  19. press — to push
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rock — music
  22. last — final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fan — to cool the air

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