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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. press — to push
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — to trim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. face — part of the head
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. face — to confront
  24. press — newspapers

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