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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. face — to point toward
  4. press — a publisher
  5. current — happening now
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — to push
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. drill — the tool
  14. face — to confront
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. board — to get on
  19. current — electric
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. current — of water
  24. drill — army training

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