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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
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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: band · fine · bore · current · drill · press · staff · pop

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — army training
  6. band — a ring
  7. current — electric
  8. staff — a stick
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pop — music
  11. current — happening now
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fine — high quality
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. current — of water
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bore — to drill
  20. band — a music group
  21. pop — soda
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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