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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — a hint
  3. track — a song
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cue — a signal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — for pool
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. press — newspapers
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. face — part of the head
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. face — to confront
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. craft — a skill
  23. press — to push
  24. sharp — clever

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