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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. present — the time now
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. craft — boats
  7. present — a gift
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. present — there
  10. net — after costs
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. swing — to play on
  13. last — to go on
  14. press — to push
  15. face — part of the head
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pitch — completely
  18. net — for catching
  19. swing — in golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. last — final
  22. swing — music
  23. craft — a skill
  24. last — finally

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