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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fall — to drop
  3. press — newspapers
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. fall — the season
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. tube — a container
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cue — for pool
  15. press — to push
  16. wound — an injury
  17. march — the month
  18. mine — for digging
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wound — an injury
  21. march — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. press — a publisher

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