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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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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: root · pitch · press · band · foot · lie · ruler · perch

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. press — a publisher
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. band — a ring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. perch — the fish
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a word
  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