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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: staff · wave · pit · pitcher · fan · press · trunk · bore

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bore — to drill
  5. press — newspapers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pit — in a race
  9. press — to push
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. staff — employees
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. staff — a stick
  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