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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pop — to visit
  3. spring — a coil
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. press — newspapers
  8. court — of law
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pitch — completely
  11. press — a publisher
  12. spring — the season
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. press — to push
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pop — music
  17. court — of a king
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. court — for sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. spring — of water
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pop — soda
  24. rush — a thrill

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