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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bat — the animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. press — to push
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wind — moving air
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a dance
  24. press — a publisher

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