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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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Word bank
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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: toast · face · ruler · plane · press · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. press — to push
  3. cold — an illness
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — to confront
  9. plane — a tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. press — a publisher
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — bread
  18. cold — not warm

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