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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: press · lie · leaves · present · fine · trunk · wax · net

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. present — there
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fine — all right
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — a gift
  12. press — to push
  13. present — the time now
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. net — for catching
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. press — a publisher
  22. net — in sport
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. net — after costs

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