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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. press — to push
  11. scale — in music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stem — to come from
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — newspapers
  18. scale — size or range
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — help
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. sharp — clever

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