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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: press · face · pitch · can · foot · temple · tube · lean

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — the underground
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. face — to confront
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tube — a container
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. foot — a measure
  16. face — to point toward
  17. lean — to bend
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pitch — completely
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. face — part of the head

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