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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. face — part of the head
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — music
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stock — goods
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pop — soda
  24. bore — to drill

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