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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: toast · tube · pass · face · pound · hide · press · leaves

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. face — part of the head
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tube — a container
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. face — to confront
  9. pound — a weight
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. face — to point toward
  17. press — a publisher
  18. toast — bread
  19. press — to push
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tube — the underground
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. hide — to keep secret

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