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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: bear · lean · face · fork · plane · ball · wind · press

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — to push
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. face — to point toward
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fork — in a road
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lean — to bend
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ball — a great time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lean — thin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fork — to eat with

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