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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rule — government
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. scale — size or range
  6. press — newspapers
  7. scale — in music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. press — to push
  13. face — to confront
  14. tube — a container
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — the underground
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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