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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cold — an illness
  8. press — a publisher
  9. content — happy
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cold — not warm
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. press — to push
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lean — to bend
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lean — thin
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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