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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chair — a leader
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. content — the amount
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fall — the season
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fall — to drop
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. content — happy
  19. stand — to bear
  20. press — newspapers
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ruler — for measuring

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