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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fall — the season
  3. face — to confront
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. march — the month
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — a publisher
  9. march — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. suit — clothes
  12. charge — electricity
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a dance
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. press — to push
  24. plane — a tool

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