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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. suit — to fit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. snap — to click
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. press — to push
  14. stand — to bear
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — clothes
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — to handle
  19. field — for sport
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. face — to confront
  23. suit — in cards
  24. field — a subject

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