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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fall — the season
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. land — a country
  10. key — in music
  11. fall — to drop
  12. net — for catching
  13. press — newspapers
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. key — the most important part
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. press — to push
  24. fall — to drop

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