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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. can — a tin
  2. present — there
  3. face — to point toward
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. suit — in cards
  8. face — to confront
  9. press — a publisher
  10. suit — to fit
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. suit — clothes
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. press — newspapers
  15. face — part of the head
  16. kid — to tease
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — to push
  21. kid — child
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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