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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: row · press · fall · rest · prune · leaves · cabinet · toast

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — a publisher
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fall — to drop
  9. toast — bread
  10. fall — the season
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. row — a line
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fall — to drop
  15. press — newspapers
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. press — to push
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rest — a break
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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