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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
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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: press · lie · sharp · foot · firm · trunk · race · mine

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. race — the arms race
  6. firm — steady
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. sharp — clever
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. foot — a measure
  16. race — humankind
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. press — newspapers
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. sharp — with an edge

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