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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 116 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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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: lie · kid · bore · calf · land · leaves · press · pit

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lie — to recline
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. bore — to drill
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. land — ground
  15. kid — to tease
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — to tire

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