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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. firm — a company
  3. ball — a dance
  4. press — to push
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mate — to breed
  10. press — a publisher
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — a permit
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. firm — decided
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mate — a friend
  22. press — newspapers
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mate — a partner

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