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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. spell — magic
  3. press — to push
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a document
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — a break
  8. ground — a position
  9. file — a tool
  10. press — newspapers
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ground — crushed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — a short time
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — part of the head
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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