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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — steady
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — for a lock
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. plane — a tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. shower — rain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — a committee
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. shower — to wash
  16. board — to get on
  17. key — the most important part
  18. press — a publisher
  19. key — in music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. board — a flat piece

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