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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. lean — thin
  8. tear — from crying
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tear — from crying
  11. press — a publisher
  12. content — happy
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — to recline
  15. press — to push
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. tear — to rip

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