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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — a grade
  6. hand — in cards
  7. press — to push
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bound — obliged
  13. face — part of the head
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chest — a box
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — certain
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — to confront

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