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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: face · foot · rule · fan · bowl · fork · press · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. face — to point toward
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rule — a law
  6. face — to confront
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. race — humankind
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. press — to push
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. foot — a measure
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rule — government

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