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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. tear — from crying
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. spring — the season
  7. shower — rain
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. tear — from crying
  12. press — a publisher
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spring — of water
  18. mug — to rob
  19. press — to push
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rush — hurry
  24. tear — to rip

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