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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. press — to push
  4. branch — a division
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. spring — of water
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spring — a coil
  11. face — to confront
  12. plane — a tool
  13. press — newspapers
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spring — the season
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lie — to recline
  20. suit — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. branch — of a tree

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