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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. land — ground
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. press — a publisher
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — electricity
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. land — a country
  14. perch — the fish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. land — to come down
  18. mate — a friend
  19. charge — in control
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. charge — a price
  22. bat — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. press — to push

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