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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · foot · trunk · bowl · press · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. press — to push
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. press — a publisher
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. press — newspapers
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. face — to point toward
  17. foot — a measure
  18. face — to confront

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