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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tear — from crying
  8. face — to point toward
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fine — all right
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. press — to push
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. press — a publisher
  22. tear — to rip
  23. face — to confront
  24. fine — a penalty

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