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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fine — all right
  6. row — a line
  7. track — a path
  8. current — electric
  9. press — to push
  10. chair — a leader
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — to keep track
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. track — a song
  16. key — in music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. current — of water
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. current — happening now
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fine — high quality
  24. key — for a lock

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