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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: foot · swing · press · calf · bear · toast · ruler · face

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. press — to push
  5. swing — music
  6. toast — bread
  7. foot — a measure
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. swing — in golf
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. face — to confront
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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