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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rash — a series
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. press — to push
  23. fall — to drop
  24. press — newspapers

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