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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — a skill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — to push
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. craft — boats
  12. shower — rain
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. face — to confront
  18. shower — to wash

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