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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tear — to rip
  3. spell — magic
  4. press — to push
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. chest — of your body
  11. spell — letters
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chest — of your body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hand — help
  22. chest — a box
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. tear — from crying

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