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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cap — a lid
  3. press — a publisher
  4. current — happening now
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cap — a hat
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — army training
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. drill — the tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. current — of water
  17. face — to confront
  18. current — electric
  19. face — part of the head
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — of ice
  23. press — to push
  24. drill — a practice

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