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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. 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. press — newspapers
  2. capital — a city
  3. face — to confront
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — decided
  6. cold — not warm
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — to push
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — certain
  11. capital — money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — a company
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — steady
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cold — an illness
  24. 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