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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. press — to push
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — of a river
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — for money
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. craft — boats
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. suit — clothes
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — a skill
  19. press — a publisher
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. press — newspapers
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lie — an untruth

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