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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 124 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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. press — to push
  4. rest — a break
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitch — completely
  7. net — in sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. season — in sport
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. net — for catching
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. net — after costs
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rest — what's left

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