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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 · staff · press · present · swing · degree · dip · lean

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. swing — to play on
  3. face — to confront
  4. swing — music
  5. press — to push
  6. degree — an amount
  7. press — newspapers
  8. staff — a stick
  9. press — a publisher
  10. degree — temperature
  11. face — part of the head
  12. present — a gift
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. staff — employees
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — the time now
  17. lean — thin
  18. staff — employees
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — there
  21. face — to point toward
  22. lean — to bend
  23. degree — from a university
  24. swing — in golf

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