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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. press — to push
  3. foot — a measure
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. press — a publisher
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — a stone
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — to sink
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rock — music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. face — to confront
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — newspapers
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. face — part of the head

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