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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — a publisher
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. file — a line of people
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. track — a song
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rush — hurry
  14. press — to push
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. file — a tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. track — to keep track
  21. snap — to click
  22. file — a document
  23. bound — certain
  24. track — a path

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