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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · pound · press · race · rock · roll · bore · fork

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rock — music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — a contest
  12. roll — a cake
  13. press — to push
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. race — humankind
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. press — newspapers
  24. race — the arms race

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