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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. club — a group
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — for dancing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cell — in biology
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. face — part of the head
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. face — to point toward
  16. club — for golf
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bulb — for light

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