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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. press — newspapers
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stem — to come from
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. roll — a list
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. roll — a cake
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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