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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: toast · rock · press · foot · snap · lie · capital · track

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. press — newspapers
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. track — a song
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. track — a path
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. press — to push
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. track — to keep track
  18. press — a publisher
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. snap — to click
  21. rock — a stone
  22. capital — money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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