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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bear — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. rock — music
  7. face — part of the head
  8. press — to push
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rock — a stone
  13. march — the month
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. face — to point toward
  16. press — newspapers
  17. face — to confront
  18. march — the month

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