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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — a trace
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — a publisher
  12. face — to confront
  13. root — of a word
  14. lean — thin
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. root — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — to point toward
  20. root — the cause
  21. rest — a break
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rest — what's left

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