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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 124 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. press — newspapers
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — all right
  8. hand — in cards
  9. press — to push
  10. last — final
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. fine — high quality
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — to recline
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. rash — a series
  21. hand — help
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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