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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. press — to push
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. face — to confront
  6. rest — what's left
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rest — a break
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. capital — a city
  18. rest — what's left
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. capital — money

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