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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · stick · deal · press · land · cue

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. 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. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — a signal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. land — a country
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — to push
  18. 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