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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lie — to recline
  3. game — a match
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. press — a publisher
  6. deal — to handle
  7. net — for catching
  8. fall — the season
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. press — newspapers
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fall — to drop
  24. press — to push

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