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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — newspapers
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. spell — letters
  7. press — a publisher
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — to recline
  11. press — to push
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. spell — a short time
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. row — to paddle
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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