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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. face — to confront
  4. press — newspapers
  5. face — part of the head
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. season — of the year
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. press — to push
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. press — a publisher
  13. snap — to click
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rest — a break
  16. vault — a safe
  17. season — in sport
  18. firm — decided
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — a company
  21. face — to point toward
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — to add flavour

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