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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. press — to push
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — newspapers
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. press — a publisher
  8. court — of a king
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to bend
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. hand — in cards
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — a tool
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. court — of law
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lean — thin

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