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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — a box
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. chest — of your body
  9. press — to push
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. season — of the year
  15. press — a publisher
  16. season — in sport
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — in football
  22. press — newspapers
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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