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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. press — to push
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tear — from crying
  7. drill — army training
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — to tire
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. capital — a city
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. drill — a practice
  22. capital — money
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bore — to drill

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