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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: lie · firm · dip · tube · ground · press · face · nail

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lie — to recline
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. press — to push
  6. firm — steady
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ground — the earth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. firm — decided
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — a company
  18. face — part of the head
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. face — to confront
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — crushed
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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