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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spring — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pass — a permit
  13. press — to push
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spring — the season
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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