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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.

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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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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — to eat
  4. press — a publisher
  5. deal — to handle
  6. vault — a safe
  7. tear — to rip
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chip — for betting
  12. press — newspapers
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — to push
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — employees
  18. tear — from crying

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