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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · date · calf · foot · wave · press · face · key

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. key — in music
  10. press — to push
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. face — to confront
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. face — part of the head
  24. press — newspapers

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