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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — to recline
  8. press — a publisher
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spring — of water
  15. face — part of the head
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. face — to point toward
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — in cards

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