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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. net — for catching
  3. cell — in biology
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stock — goods
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stock — shares
  8. plane — a tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — after costs
  14. press — to push
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cell — a phone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. net — in sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — an aircraft

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