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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · lie · chair · press · court · cap · stand · leaves

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — the time now
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — there
  8. court — of a king
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. court — of law
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lie — to recline
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cap — a hat
  16. press — newspapers
  17. court — for sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stand — to bear
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chair — a leader

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