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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · firm · cap · bank · face · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to point toward
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. firm — steady
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. face — to confront
  9. cap — a hat
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — decided
  12. cap — a lid
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bank — for money
  15. cap — of ice
  16. face — part of the head
  17. firm — a company
  18. ruler — for measuring

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