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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bore — to drill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. tear — from crying
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. file — a tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. file — a document
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. tear — to rip
  24. deal — a big deal

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