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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — to push
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rule — a law
  9. bank — of a river
  10. roll — a list
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bank — for money
  17. press — newspapers
  18. season — in sport
  19. roll — a cake
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — government
  24. mouse — the animal

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