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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. shower — rain
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. press — to push
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. press — newspapers
  11. scale — size or range
  12. field — for sport
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. field — a subject
  16. mark — a grade
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. deal — to handle

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