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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: fall · swing · craft · pitcher · fine · press · calf · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — newspapers
  7. swing — in golf
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. swing — to play on
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. swing — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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