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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — in cards
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — part of the head
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. face — to point toward
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. press — to push
  14. suit — clothes
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — a tool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. prune — to trim
  24. foot — part of the body

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