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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — there
  5. ground — a position
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. press — to push
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fine — high quality
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — all right
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — the earth
  21. fall — the season
  22. present — a gift
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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