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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. content — happy
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. press — to push
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — to keep track
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — a song
  21. content — the amount
  22. lie — to recline
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. shower — rain

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