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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 120 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: bound · row · face · bowl · current · bat · bore · press

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. press — newspapers
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. current — of water
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. face — to confront
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. current — happening now
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. press — to push
  16. face — to point toward
  17. current — electric
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bound — certain

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