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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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — a thing
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. press — newspapers
  8. can — a tin
  9. kid — child
  10. object — to protest
  11. last — to go on
  12. object — an aim
  13. kid — to tease
  14. prune — to trim
  15. last — final
  16. can — a tin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. press — to push
  22. face — part of the head
  23. press — a publisher
  24. last — finally

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