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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. roll — a list
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mark — a trace
  5. face — part of the head
  6. kick — in football
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — to push
  19. content — the amount
  20. face — to confront
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mug — a face
  24. roll — on a roll

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