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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: hide · mark · scale · press · content · plane · bore · club

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — happy
  4. mark — a grade
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. press — to push
  10. content — the amount
  11. club — a group
  12. press — newspapers
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. club — for golf
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. plane — a tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. press — a publisher
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. scale — in music

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