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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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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: lash · race · stand · bat · lie · toast · leaves · press

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. toast — bread
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — to bear
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lie — to recline
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. press — to push

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