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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: rest · foot · toast · pop · net · present · spring · press

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pop — to visit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. spring — the season
  8. toast — bread
  9. net — after costs
  10. present — there
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rest — a break
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pop — music
  16. net — for catching
  17. rest — what's left
  18. net — in sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — the time now
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. spring — of water
  23. present — a gift
  24. foot — a measure

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