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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: pop · press · mine · lie · roll · bore · craft · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lean — thin
  10. craft — boats
  11. press — to push
  12. mine — for digging
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pop — soda
  15. roll — a cake
  16. press — newspapers
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — a skill
  24. roll — a list

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