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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 116 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mate — a partner
  3. press — to push
  4. track — a path
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. land — to come down
  10. press — a publisher
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mate — to breed
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — to point toward
  17. land — ground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — a country

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