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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: face · spring · fall · bear · press · bulb · foot · nail

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spring — the season
  5. foot — a measure
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fall — to drop
  8. spring — of water
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fall — to drop
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. press — to push
  18. face — to confront
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fall — the season

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