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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — thin
  7. snap — to click
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — to go on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. drill — army training
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. press — to push
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lean — to bend
  22. drill — the tool
  23. last — final
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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