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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. face — to confront
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — a position
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. club — for golf
  7. ground — crushed
  8. drill — the tool
  9. club — for dancing
  10. press — to push
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rock — a stone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rock — music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. drill — army training
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wax — to grow
  23. club — a group
  24. deal — an agreement

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