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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. firm — decided
  3. capital — a city
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. tear — to rip
  11. capital — money
  12. tear — from crying
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. tear — from crying
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. firm — a company
  17. press — to push
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitch — completely
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — for money
  24. face — part of the head

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