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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. press — to push
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. club — for golf
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. club — a group
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. face — to confront
  24. pitch — completely

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