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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lie — to recline
  5. deal — to handle
  6. press — newspapers
  7. shower — to wash
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. shower — rain
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — to push
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. capital — money
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. capital — a city
  24. safe — a strongbox

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