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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. roll — a cake
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — a stone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. roll — a list
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rock — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. nail — on a finger

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