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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.

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: foot · face · press · can · racket · object · pitch · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. object — to protest
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. face — to point toward
  8. foot — a measure
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — newspapers
  14. object — an aim
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — to be able to
  19. object — a thing
  20. press — a publisher
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — to push
  23. face — to confront
  24. can — a tin

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