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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: nail · bulb · bore · degree · rock · press · rest · racket

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rock — a stone
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — to drill
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to tire
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — an amount
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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