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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. perch — the fish
  3. object — a thing
  4. press — newspapers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. press — a publisher
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. press — to push
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — an aim
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — steady

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