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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. club — for dancing
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — a publisher
  7. club — a group
  8. bank — of a river
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — a break
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rest — what's left
  19. club — for golf
  20. bore — to drill
  21. hand — help
  22. scale — in music
  23. press — to push
  24. bore — to tire

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