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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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Word bank
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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: press · cue · roll · mine · suit · bowl · wax · bore

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. suit — in cards
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. press — a publisher
  16. suit — to fit
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. roll — a list
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bore — to tire

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