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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 124 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. shower — rain
  5. bore — to drill
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spell — letters
  8. chest — a box
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — to handle
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spell — magic
  23. chest — of your body
  24. spell — a short time

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