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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — in music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. press — to push
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fall — the season
  24. calf — of the leg

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