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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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. toast — bread
  3. face — part of the head
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. spell — magic
  7. face — to confront
  8. press — to push
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. season — of the year
  11. face — to point toward
  12. press — newspapers
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pit — in a race
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pit — a hole
  20. season — in sport
  21. press — a publisher
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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