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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. bound — obliged
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fall — the season
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bore — to drill
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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