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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. roll — a cake
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bore — to drill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fork — in a road
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. club — a group
  10. toast — bread
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. face — to confront
  13. wind — moving air
  14. press — newspapers
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. roll — a list
  23. press — to push
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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