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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. track — a path
  8. rash — a series
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. track — to keep track
  12. shower — to wash
  13. object — a thing
  14. wind — moving air
  15. object — an aim
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. net — in sport
  18. press — a publisher
  19. net — after costs
  20. track — a song
  21. net — for catching
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — to protest

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