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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. mark — a trace
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — decided
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — to push
  10. lean — thin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. firm — steady
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. saw — the tool
  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