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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. face — to point toward
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bound — obliged
  22. dip — to sink
  23. face — part of the head
  24. toast — bread

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