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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. degree — temperature
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. degree — an amount

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