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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — bread
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — clothes
  5. press — to push
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — in cards
  22. date — the fruit
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — a trainer

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