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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher

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