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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.

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
468
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: mouse · stand · fan · season · rest · straw · press · leaves

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. season — of the year
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — to push
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rest — what's left
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. press — a publisher
  15. season — in sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rest — a break
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rest — what's left

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