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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. press — a publisher
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. press — to push
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship

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