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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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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: nail · kick · face · dip · arm · racket · press · chip

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. press — newspapers
  6. face — to point toward
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — to confront
  11. press — to push
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. chip — to eat
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. racket — for tennis

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