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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. net — for catching
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. net — in sport
  6. press — to push
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bound — certain
  9. press — newspapers
  10. face — to confront
  11. net — after costs
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — obliged
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. snap — to click
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bound — tied together
  23. face — part of the head
  24. leaves — of a tree

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