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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. press — to push
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. press — newspapers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — a publisher
  21. key — in music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bore — to drill

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