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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. clip — a video
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — newspapers
  9. face — part of the head
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. court — of law
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wound — an injury
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. press — to push
  19. court — of a king
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — to confront
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. press — a publisher
  24. court — for sport

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