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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — to bear
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — to push
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rule — government
  24. face — to point toward

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