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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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468
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. clip — a video
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. face — to confront
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. press — a publisher
  12. face — part of the head
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. clip — for paper
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — ministers

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