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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wound — an injury
  9. last — final
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. press — to push
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rest — a break
  23. spring — of water
  24. wound — an injury

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