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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: present · press · toast · tear · foot · rock · trunk · pitcher

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. present — there
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. press — a publisher
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. foot — a measure
  11. present — a gift
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. press — newspapers
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. tear — to rip

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