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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. face — part of the head
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. deal — to handle
  5. press — newspapers
  6. face — to point toward
  7. press — to push
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pit — a hole
  10. key — for a lock
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. face — to confront
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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