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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitch — completely
  5. press — newspapers
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lie — to recline
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ball — a dance
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — a publisher
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. press — to push
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. face — to confront

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