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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: lie · dip · bay · tube · wave · hand · press · prune

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hand — help
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hand — in cards
  11. press — to push
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — a container
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. prune — to trim
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lie — to recline
  24. dip — to dunk

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