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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. press — newspapers
  3. net — for catching
  4. face — part of the head
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. press — to push
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. press — a publisher
  11. face — to point toward
  12. net — after costs
  13. track — a path
  14. spell — magic
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — of the year
  18. face — to confront
  19. season — in sport
  20. track — to keep track
  21. roll — a cake
  22. track — a song
  23. roll — a list
  24. net — in sport

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