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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: net · present · lash · deal · press · face · toast · season

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. net — for catching
  3. present — the time now
  4. net — in sport
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. face — part of the head
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. press — newspapers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. present — a gift
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. face — to confront
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. net — after costs
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. toast — bread
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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