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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cue · rest · press · wave · mine · sharp · pop

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pop — to visit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pop — music
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pop — soda
  17. face — to confront
  18. rest — what's left
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. press — to push
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. sharp — clever

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