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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — to push
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. board — a committee
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — to get on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mine — for digging
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — to go away

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