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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. face — part of the head
  3. object — to protest
  4. field — for sport
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. current — happening now
  8. foot — a measure
  9. face — to point toward
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. press — a publisher
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. deal — to handle
  20. current — of water
  21. field — farmland
  22. face — to confront
  23. object — an aim
  24. field — a subject

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