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

Word bank: pass · press · lean · perch · lie · leaves · wake · fork

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pass — a permit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. press — to push
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fork — in a road
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lean — to bend
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — a garden tool

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