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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. spring — of water
  9. press — a publisher
  10. net — for catching
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. net — in sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. press — to push
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. lean — thin
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — to bear
  24. lean — to bend

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