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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.

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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: press · drill · rule · bore · fan · wax · foot · pitcher

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rule — government
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bore — to tire
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rule — a law
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. press — to push
  24. drill — a practice

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