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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. face — to confront
  3. pit — a hole
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bound — tied together
  6. scale — in music
  7. face — part of the head
  8. press — a publisher
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. face — to point toward
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pit — in a race
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bound — obliged
  21. press — newspapers
  22. scale — size or range
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — to push

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