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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. press — to push
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. safe — out of danger

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