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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 120 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
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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: ground · leaves · bore · present · bowl · mate · track · press

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — to push
  7. present — a gift
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ground — a position
  12. track — a path
  13. ground — the earth
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. present — there
  19. track — a song
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. leaves — lets stay

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