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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. ground — a position
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mate — to breed
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. content — the amount
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — happy
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rash — a series
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ground — crushed

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