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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. snap — to click
  4. season — in sport
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — completely
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rash — a series
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. press — to push
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. face — to confront
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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