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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
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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: press · bear · land · face · suit · foot · rest · board

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. face — part of the head
  3. land — a country
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — to point toward
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — ground
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — a publisher
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. press — newspapers
  19. board — to get on
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — a break
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — to come down

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