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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · chest · face · press · pass · wind

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wind — moving air
  5. press — to push
  6. chest — of your body
  7. face — to confront
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pass — a permit
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chest — a box
  18. press — a publisher

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