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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mate — a friend
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. face — to confront
  7. squash — to crush
  8. firm — a company
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — steady
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. mate — to breed
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. press — newspapers
  24. firm — decided

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