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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — for a lock
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. land — to come down
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. content — happy
  9. land — a country
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — to handle
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. press — a publisher
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — an agreement

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