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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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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: foot · cell · stand · lie · staff · press · pitcher · ruler

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cell — in biology
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. press — to push

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