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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. press — newspapers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bass — low music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. drill — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — to drill

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