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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bore — to tire
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. dip — to sink
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — to push
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. swing — in golf
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. swing — to play on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. press — newspapers
  22. swing — music
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bore — to drill

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