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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. field — a subject
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. field — for sport
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pitch — completely
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. field — farmland

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