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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bound — certain
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spring — the season
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — to push
  14. rule — a law
  15. spring — of water
  16. stand — to bear
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bore — to tire
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rule — government
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bound — tied together
  24. spring — a coil

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