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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: net · lean · wound · march · foot · ruler · press · mug

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. press — newspapers
  6. net — for catching
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. net — in sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lean — thin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mug — to rob
  20. net — after costs
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wound — an injury

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