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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bore — to drill
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. squash — the sport
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. game — a match
  9. press — newspapers
  10. chair — a leader
  11. shower — rain
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. press — to push
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. press — a publisher
  18. squash — to crush
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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