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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — to push
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. race — humankind
  9. suit — clothes
  10. deal — to handle
  11. race — a contest
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bat — the animal

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