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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 · shower · leaves · pitcher · bay · pit · press · fall

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pit — in a race
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pit — a hole
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fall — to drop
  17. press — to push
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fall — the season
  20. pass — a permit
  21. shower — rain
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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