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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. face — part of the head
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. snap — to click
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bore — to tire
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pass — a permit
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. face — to confront
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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