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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · cap · bore · cold · rush · racket · season · press

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. press — a publisher
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — of the year
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rush — hurry
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. press — newspapers
  15. season — in sport
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cue — a hint
  22. press — to push
  23. cold — not warm
  24. rush — to hurry

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