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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. drill — a practice
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. chip — for betting
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fine — all right
  10. press — to push
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bat — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — army training
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bore — to drill
  24. patient — a sick person

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