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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tube — the underground
  3. press — to push
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wound — an injury
  10. face — to point toward
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. face — to confront
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. tube — in a tire

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