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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. press — to push
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tube — a container
  7. cold — an illness
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. press — a publisher
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. scale — in music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. cold — not warm
  24. drill — a practice

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