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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pass — a permit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. net — after costs
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. net — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. press — to push
  23. spell — magic
  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