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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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. 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. hide — to keep secret
  2. tear — from crying
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. press — to push
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. sharp — clever
  12. present — there
  13. tear — to rip
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hand — in cards
  16. craft — boats
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. hand — help
  20. press — a publisher
  21. craft — a skill
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. 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