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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — a group
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fine — all right
  8. press — to push
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. club — for golf
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mine — for digging
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fine — high quality
  21. march — the month
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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