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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — to push
  7. net — after costs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. net — in sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. press — newspapers
  24. net — for catching

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