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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. dip — to sink
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — help
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — newspapers
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. drill — a practice
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — high quality
  18. drill — the tool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tube — the underground

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