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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rest — a break
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — in a road
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ground — a position
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — a path
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. press — a publisher

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