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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pound — a weight
  3. press — to push
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wound — an injury
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. season — of the year
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stock — shares
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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