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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: sharp · chair · hide · date · bowl · stem · press · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. date — the fruit
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — a publisher
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bore — to tire
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bowl — a dish

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