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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. press — a publisher
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pass — a permit
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wax — to grow
  16. foot — a measure
  17. face — to confront
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bowl — to roll

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