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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. face — to confront
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. craft — boats
  6. lean — thin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. snap — to click
  9. press — to push
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lean — to rest against

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