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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: fine · leaves · wake · press · face · ball · kick · stem

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. face — to confront
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wake — a trail
  17. kick — in football
  18. press — to push
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. face — part of the head
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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