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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. degree — temperature
  3. press — to push
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. press — newspapers
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. degree — an amount
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rule — a law
  13. pit — in a race
  14. degree — from a university
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wax — to grow
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wax — for sculpting

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