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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. rock — a stone
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rock — music
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bat — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. row — a line

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