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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bore — to tire
  11. snap — to click
  12. swing — music
  13. row — a line
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. press — newspapers
  22. swing — in golf
  23. suit — to fit
  24. press — to push

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