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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. face — to point toward
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rush — to hurry

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