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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.

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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: firm · content · tear · press · temple · rush · deal · chair

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. tear — to rip
  3. press — to push
  4. chair — a leader
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rush — hurry
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. press — a publisher
  16. deal — to handle
  17. press — newspapers
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — happy
  20. tear — from crying
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. temple — a place of worship

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