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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. content — happy
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ground — a position
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. content — the amount
  11. chair — a leader
  12. press — to push
  13. ground — the earth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — a publisher
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mine — for digging
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — belonging to me

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