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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: face · race · suit · press · bear · charge · bass · season

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. charge — a price
  4. season — in sport
  5. press — to push
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. face — to confront
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. race — humankind
  15. press — newspapers
  16. season — of the year
  17. bass — the fish
  18. press — a publisher
  19. suit — to fit
  20. race — a contest
  21. face — to point toward
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bass — the instrument

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