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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. face — part of the head
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. current — electric
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. court — for sport
  9. face — to confront
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. court — of a king
  12. mine — for digging
  13. court — of law
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — a trace
  16. current — happening now
  17. face — to point toward
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. current — of water
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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