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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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468
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: bank · degree · tube · face · bulb · rock · press · ruler

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. press — a publisher
  10. tube — a container
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to point toward
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — to confront
  18. degree — temperature
  19. press — to push
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rock — music

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