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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — a coil
  3. press — to push
  4. spring — the season
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spring — of water
  11. squash — to crush
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — newspapers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kid — child
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. kid — to tease
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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