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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mug — to rob
  4. charge — in control
  5. face — part of the head
  6. press — a publisher
  7. land — to come down
  8. foot — a measure
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bank — of a river
  12. face — to confront
  13. mug — a cup
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bank — for money
  18. mug — a face
  19. land — ground
  20. bank — for money
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. press — to push
  24. land — a country

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