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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
468
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: bore · wax · press · lie · arm · foot · cue · face

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. face — part of the head
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cue — for pool
  7. press — to push
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. press — newspapers
  18. face — to point toward
  19. foot — a measure
  20. face — to confront
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. press — a publisher
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cue — a signal

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