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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. press — to push
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. face — part of the head
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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