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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. cue — for pool
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bore — to tire
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. toast — bread
  15. perch — the fish
  16. press — to push
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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