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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — finally
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fine — all right
  14. bound — tied together
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. press — to push
  18. last — to go on
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — final
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — a tool

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