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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. capital — a city
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wind — moving air
  10. face — part of the head
  11. firm — steady
  12. court — for sport
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. court — of law
  16. wind — moving air
  17. firm — a company
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to confront
  23. firm — decided
  24. court — of a king

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