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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bore — to tire
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. face — part of the head
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — to push
  17. clip — a video
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — to bear
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — newspapers
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — for paper
  24. leaves — to go away

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