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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. face — to confront
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mark — a trace
  5. press — newspapers
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. press — a publisher
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cap — a lid
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. plane — a tool
  18. press — to push
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. row — to paddle
  22. face — to point toward
  23. suit — clothes
  24. row — a line

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