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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. present — a gift
  3. ball — a dance
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. press — to push
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a great time
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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