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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. press — to push
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — tied together
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bound — obliged
  13. shower — rain
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lie — to recline
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. shower — to wash
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. racket — a loud noise

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