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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lie — to recline
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — a path
  8. press — to push
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. net — for catching
  18. hand — in cards
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. track — a song
  23. hand — help
  24. mug — a cup

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