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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. shower — to wash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. press — to push
  23. shower — rain
  24. dip — a sauce

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