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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. fall — the season
  3. mate — a partner
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pop — music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pop — soda
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. press — to push
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pit — in a race
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hand — help

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