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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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — a song
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wake — a trail
  23. press — to push
  24. track — a path

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