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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. march — the month
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. kid — to tease
  6. press — newspapers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — a trail
  9. kid — child
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. season — of the year
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — to push
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. march — music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. press — a publisher
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — in sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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