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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. press — a publisher
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. track — to keep track
  12. press — newspapers
  13. kick — in football
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — in music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — the most important part
  20. press — to push
  21. stock — shares
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. fall — to drop

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