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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fine — all right
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. chair — a professorship

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