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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tear · ball · stand · hand · coach · press · snap · lie

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — to bear
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. tear — from crying
  8. press — to push
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. tear — from crying
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. press — a publisher
  17. snap — to click
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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