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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: leaves · mark · ground · face · stick · chair · press · drill

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ground — a position
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. press — a publisher
  14. drill — army training
  15. face — to confront
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. press — to push
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ground — crushed

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