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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. press — to push
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. present — the time now
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pass — a permit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. present — there

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