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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. press — a publisher
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. content — the amount
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. tear — to rip
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. press — newspapers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fine — all right
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — to protest
  18. press — to push
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — high quality
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. content — happy
  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