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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. press — to push
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mark — a grade
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — to crush
  12. clip — a video
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. press — a publisher
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. leaves — of a tree

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