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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. firm — steady
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pit — in a race
  5. press — a publisher
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — decided
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. press — to push
  11. root — the cause
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bound — tied together
  21. root — of a plant
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. root — of a word
  24. press — newspapers

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