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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 124 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. last — to go on
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. press — to push
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. last — final
  18. club — a group
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. date — the fruit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bark — to shout
  24. last — finally

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