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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: suit · bay · stand · plane · ruler · face · press · charge

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. face — to confront
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — to push
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — a price
  18. face — part of the head
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. face — to point toward
  24. press — newspapers

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