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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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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 · bay · racket · press · squash · safe · bore · race

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. race — humankind
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. race — the arms race
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. press — newspapers
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. press — to push
  11. squash — the sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bore — to tire
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. press — a publisher
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. race — a contest
  24. squash — the vegetable

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