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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: press · rock · lie · lean · trunk · temple · scale · foot

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. scale — in music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. press — a publisher
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. foot — a measure
  15. scale — size or range
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lean — thin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lie — to recline

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