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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. press — to push
  4. chest — a box
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — a company
  11. plane — a tool
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bore — to drill
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — steady
  18. deal — to handle
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — decided
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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