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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. press — a publisher
  3. row — to paddle
  4. field — for sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — a song
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — to recline
  12. press — to push
  13. field — farmland
  14. perch — the fish
  15. row — a line
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. press — newspapers
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. field — a subject
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lean — to bend
  23. track — a path
  24. stand — for spectators

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