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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. face — to confront
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — part of the head
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a great time
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. press — a publisher
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. band — a ring
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. press — to push
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. band — a music group

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