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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. press — newspapers
  4. face — to confront
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. race — humankind
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. race — the arms race
  9. press — to push
  10. land — a country
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. land — ground
  13. ball — a dance
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. land — to come down
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. face — to point toward
  21. race — a contest
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ball — a great time
  24. face — part of the head

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