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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. tear — to rip
  6. track — a path
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. net — after costs
  11. press — a publisher
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. chest — of your body
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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