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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rest — a break
  3. face — to confront
  4. press — to push
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. face — to point toward
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rock — a stone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rock — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hand — help
  24. rock — to move gently

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