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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. field — for sport
  4. pound — a weight
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. field — a subject
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mark — a trace
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — a publisher
  15. face — to confront
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — a grade
  21. foot — a measure
  22. field — farmland
  23. press — to push
  24. pound — for dogs

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