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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: arm · press · ruler · lean · spring · foot · bowl · wax

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spring — of water
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — the season
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. spring — a coil
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. press — to push
  19. lean — thin
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — a monarch

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