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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: degree · firm · face · kick · season · lean · foot · stick

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lean — thin
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. firm — decided
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. face — to confront
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. face — part of the head
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kick — in football
  19. lean — to bend
  20. degree — from a university
  21. face — to point toward
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. degree — temperature

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