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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: prune · fall · lie · jam · press · ground · ball · stand

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ground — a position
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ground — crushed
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — to recline
  24. press — a publisher

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