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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: wake · rush · craft · racket · bore · present · press · chip

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — boats
  4. press — to push
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — a trail
  13. present — a gift
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. present — there
  17. bore — to tire
  18. present — the time now
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — newspapers
  24. racket — a loud noise

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