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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — all right
  6. press — a publisher
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pit — in a race
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. face — to confront
  18. rash — a series
  19. press — to push
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — a law
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rule — government

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