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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · net · press · bay · cell · wake · game · stock

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. net — in sport
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — to point toward
  8. game — wild animals
  9. face — to confront
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stock — shares
  14. net — after costs
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cell — in biology
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — goods
  20. net — for catching
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. press — to push
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cell — a phone

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