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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: press · jam · key · tear · bore · suit · lash · pound

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. tear — to rip
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. key — the most important part
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. key — in music
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. press — newspapers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — for a lock
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — a weight
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. press — to push

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