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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a document
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fine — all right
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ball — a great time
  8. press — to push
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. file — a tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. face — to confront
  17. fine — high quality
  18. file — a line of people
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hide — to keep secret

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