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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. march — the month
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. march — music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stand — to bear
  16. scale — in music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. press — to push
  22. bore — to tire
  23. press — a publisher
  24. march — the month

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