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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wake — a trail
  11. band — a ring
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. face — to confront
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lie — to recline
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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