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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. press — to push
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wake — a trail
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ball — a dance
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. branch — a division
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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