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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: pit · lie · bore · ground · press · club · saw · ruler

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — a position
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. club — for dancing
  7. press — to push
  8. bore — to tire
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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