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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. staff — a stick
  7. snap — to click
  8. wound — an injury
  9. press — newspapers
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wound — an injury
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. staff — employees
  24. tube — a container

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