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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. object — an aim
  8. present — the time now
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. press — to push
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — to protest
  16. press — a publisher
  17. present — a gift
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. object — a thing

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