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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. drill — a practice
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. drill — the tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — a publisher
  15. roll — a cake
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lean — thin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. season — in sport
  23. drill — army training
  24. season — of the year

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