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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — thin
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. press — to push
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lean — to bend
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mate — a partner
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mate — a friend
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bark — to shout
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. press — a publisher
  24. lean — to rest against

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