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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. race — humankind
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rash — a series
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stock — goods
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lie — to recline
  20. press — to push
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stock — shares
  24. sharp — exactly

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