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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: ruler · face · object · swing · racket · temple · press · chest

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. swing — in golf
  3. face — to confront
  4. object — a thing
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. swing — music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — to point toward
  9. chest — a box
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. face — part of the head
  16. object — to protest
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — an aim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chest — of your body
  24. swing — to play on

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