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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rash — hasty
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — newspapers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rash — a series
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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