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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. face — to confront
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a friend
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. present — the time now
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. present — a gift
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rock — music
  21. stand — to bear
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. present — there

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