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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — the season
  3. foot — a measure
  4. saw — the tool
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — to tire
  11. spring — of water
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lean — to bend
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lean — thin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. press — to push
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. spring — a coil
  21. press — a publisher
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bore — gave birth

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