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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mark — a grade
  4. press — to push
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. tear — to rip
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bore — to tire
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fine — all right
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bore — to drill
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fine — a penalty

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