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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — not warm
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cold — an illness
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a signal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — a grade
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cue — a hint
  24. press — a publisher

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