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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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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. press — to push
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. suit — in cards
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. roll — a list
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tear — to rip
  15. roll — a cake
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — a horse colour
  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