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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. staff — a stick
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. field — for sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. field — farmland
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ball — a great time
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. press — a publisher
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. field — a subject
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. press — newspapers
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — to bear

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