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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kid — child
  5. board — to get on
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. press — newspapers
  12. board — a committee
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pound — a weight
  16. press — a publisher
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. press — to push
  24. kid — to tease

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