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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: ball · face · stand · press · wave · rock · land · saw

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. land — ground
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. press — a publisher
  5. land — to come down
  6. rock — music
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — newspapers
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. face — to confront
  18. land — a country
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. press — to push

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