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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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Word bank
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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 · calf · current

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

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chest — a box
  6. press — newspapers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. current — of water
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. current — electric
  18. press — to push
  19. current — happening now
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wind — to turn a key

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