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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. last — to go on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. press — a publisher
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. last — final
  19. saw — the tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. saw — the tool
  22. last — finally
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. roll — a cake

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