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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bank — for money
  3. scale — size or range
  4. face — to point toward
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. present — there
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. press — a publisher
  15. scale — in music
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bank — of a river
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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