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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. plane — a tool
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. toast — bread
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — to keep track
  24. squash — the sport

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