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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bore — to drill
  3. present — a gift
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. press — to push
  6. present — the time now
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rock — a stone
  12. track — a path
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — music
  16. bore — to tire
  17. track — a song
  18. press — newspapers
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — there
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cell — a phone

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