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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — to fit
  3. object — an aim
  4. face — to point toward
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. press — a publisher
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. press — to push
  19. mine — for digging
  20. face — to confront
  21. chair — a leader
  22. object — to protest
  23. pit — a hole
  24. chair — to sit on

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