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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — a publisher
  3. content — happy
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pit — in a race
  10. press — newspapers
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. press — to push
  20. content — the amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lie — to recline
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bear — the animal

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