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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. mark — a grade
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mark — a trace
  14. net — in sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — a path
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. face — to point toward
  22. snap — to click
  23. net — for catching
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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