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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. can — to be able to
  3. face — to point toward
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. lie — to recline
  19. face — to confront
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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