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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. file — a tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — to confront
  8. file — a line of people
  9. press — to push
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spell — letters
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — to point toward
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. face — part of the head
  23. file — a document
  24. deal — to handle

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