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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: lie · bowl · fork · press · coach · face · mine · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. face — to confront
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mine — an explosive

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