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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. press — to push
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. press — a publisher
  6. clip — a video
  7. land — a country
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. staff — employees
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — in control
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. land — to come down
  20. rush — hurry
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — to cut
  23. land — ground
  24. hide — to keep secret

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