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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. charge — in control
  4. march — the month
  5. press — newspapers
  6. face — part of the head
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. press — to push
  14. march — the month
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. rash — a series
  18. charge — electricity
  19. squash — the sport
  20. march — music
  21. face — to confront
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rash — hasty

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