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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. season — in sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — to push
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. press — a publisher
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — newspapers
  22. season — of the year
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — of a tree

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