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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. deal — to handle
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tube — a container
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. press — to push
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — the underground
  18. lie — an untruth

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