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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 120 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
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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 · press · capital · lie · content · plane · band · suit

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. content — happy
  5. lie — to recline
  6. band — a ring
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. press — newspapers
  9. suit — to fit
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. plane — a tool
  15. content — the amount
  16. band — a music group
  17. capital — a city
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. capital — money
  22. foot — a measure
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. suit — in cards

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