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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: last · face · staff · arm · track · tube · cabinet · press

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. track — to keep track
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. last — final
  8. face — part of the head
  9. staff — a stick
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. last — to go on
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. staff — employees
  18. face — to confront
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. press — to push
  21. last — finally
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. staff — employees

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