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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. clip — a video
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. face — to point toward
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bark — to shout
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. face — to confront
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitch — completely
  20. face — part of the head
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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