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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. press — to push
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. press — a publisher
  24. lean — thin

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