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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pop — soda
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — after costs
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wake — a trail
  16. press — to push
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pop — music

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