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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. snap — to click
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. face — part of the head
  6. press — newspapers
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. press — a publisher
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of law
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. face — to confront
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. press — to push
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — in sport
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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