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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — to handle
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bat — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rash — a series
  14. stem — to come from
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rash — hasty

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