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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. press — to push
  6. dip — to sink
  7. court — of a king
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rest — a break
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — for sport
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. court — of law

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