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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: fall · bay · suit · pitcher · leaves · ball · bat · press

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fall — the season
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. press — newspapers
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ball — a great time
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ball — a dance
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — the animal
  21. press — to push
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bat — for baseball

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