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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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Word bank
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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. suit — clothes
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. press — a publisher
  7. game — a match
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lean — thin
  10. present — the time now
  11. hand — in cards
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. suit — in cards
  14. present — there
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. game — wild animals
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — a gift
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. foot — the bottom

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