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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. land — a country
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. press — to push
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. capital — money
  9. plane — a tool
  10. land — to come down
  11. capital — a city
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bore — to drill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — all right
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — newspapers

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