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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: kick · file · safe · press · drill · staff · toast · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — army training
  4. press — to push
  5. staff — a stick
  6. press — newspapers
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. face — to confront
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. file — a document
  19. drill — a practice
  20. face — to point toward
  21. toast — bread
  22. staff — employees
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. drill — the tool

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