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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. march — music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mug — to rob
  5. game — a match
  6. press — a publisher
  7. face — part of the head
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mug — a face
  11. toast — bread
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. press — newspapers
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. face — to point toward
  17. march — the month
  18. face — to confront
  19. fine — high quality
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — to push
  22. march — the month
  23. fine — all right
  24. game — wild animals

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