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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lean — thin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — magic
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wake — a trail
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lean — to bend
  11. race — the arms race
  12. spell — a short time
  13. race — a contest
  14. press — to push
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spell — letters
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wound — an injury
  22. key — in music
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wound — an injury

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