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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pass — a permit
  3. press — a publisher
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lean — thin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. press — newspapers
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pitch — completely
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lean — to bend
  17. press — to push
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — the fish
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. current — happening now
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. perch — for a bird

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