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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 · club · pop · foot · trunk · temple · cue · plane

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. club — a group
  3. pop — to visit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cue — for pool
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pop — soda
  18. club — for golf
  19. press — newspapers
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. foot — a measure
  22. plane — a tool
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pop — music

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