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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. toast — bread
  3. fall — to drop
  4. last — final
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. press — to push
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. press — newspapers
  16. last — finally
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. foot — a measure
  19. last — to go on
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chair — a leader

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