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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
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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: roll · press · hide · fine · tear · staff · can · wound

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. tear — from crying
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fine — all right
  8. staff — employees
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tear — from crying
  11. press — a publisher
  12. staff — a stick
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. staff — employees
  18. roll — a list
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. can — to be able to

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