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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — a hint
  16. press — a publisher
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — for pool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. race — a contest
  22. prune — to trim
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. race — humankind

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