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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cue — a signal
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — shares
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cue — for pool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. charge — a price
  19. face — to confront
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stock — goods
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stock — a soup base

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