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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. press — newspapers
  3. face — to point toward
  4. snap — to click
  5. race — humankind
  6. mark — a trace
  7. race — a contest
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pass — a permit
  10. press — to push
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. shower — rain
  18. race — the arms race
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. face — to confront
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. shower — to wash

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