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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. race — the arms race
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. season — in sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. press — a publisher
  10. current — electric
  11. season — of the year
  12. face — to confront
  13. wake — a trail
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. race — a contest
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bass — low music
  22. race — humankind
  23. current — of water
  24. wake — before a funeral

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