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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. press — newspapers
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. tube — a container
  11. shower — rain
  12. tear — from crying
  13. saw — the tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. tear — to rip
  16. shower — to wash
  17. season — in sport
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. season — of the year
  20. press — to push
  21. race — a contest
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tube — the underground
  24. press — a publisher

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