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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: dip · ruler · face · track · sharp · press · fork · bank

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — of a river
  5. press — to push
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. press — a publisher
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — a path
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. face — to confront
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fork — in a road
  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