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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 116 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 · wake · pitcher · mark · leaves · plane · wave · mate

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mate — to breed
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mate — a friend
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mark — a trace
  24. press — newspapers

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