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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · key · temple · stem · wax · press · coach · squash

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. press — a publisher
  6. face — to confront
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. key — the most important part
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. press — to push
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. squash — to crush
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. squash — the sport
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. press — newspapers
  24. wax — for sculpting

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