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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mate — a partner
  3. press — a publisher
  4. object — to protest
  5. press — to push
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mate — to breed
  8. press — newspapers
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. toast — bread
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. object — an aim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — a friend
  20. deal — to handle
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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