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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — to push
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. face — part of the head
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fall — the season
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fine — all right
  24. face — to point toward

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