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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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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. face — to point toward
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bank — for money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. press — to push
  19. bank — for money
  20. bat — the animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. lie — to recline
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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