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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pitch — completely
  3. face — to confront
  4. press — newspapers
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. scale — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. press — a publisher
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. press — to push
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spell — magic

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