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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rest — a break
  6. chair — a leader
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stem — to come from
  9. press — to push
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stem — of a plant

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