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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. face — to point toward
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. face — to confront
  6. press — to push
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. ground — the earth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bowl — a football final

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