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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fall — the season
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. spring — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. spring — of water
  14. pit — in a race
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. present — the time now
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spring — a coil
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. press — a publisher
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. press — to push

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