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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fine — all right
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stem — to come from
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. perch — the fish
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pitcher — a jug

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