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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. drill — the tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. press — to push
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bore — to drill
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stock — shares
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — a publisher
  21. suit — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. drill — army training

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