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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mug — a face
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — to tire
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mug — to rob
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. press — a publisher

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