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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — in football
  4. press — newspapers
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. press — a publisher
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — to point toward
  11. press — to push
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. face — part of the head
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. nail — for a hammer

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