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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. press — to push
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. press — newspapers
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — to tire
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. game — a kind of play

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