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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. season — in sport
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. season — of the year
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. scale — in music
  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