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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · straw · leaves · press · band · cap · net · jam

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. press — to push
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. press — a publisher
  14. band — a music group
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. net — after costs
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. net — in sport
  20. press — newspapers
  21. net — for catching
  22. band — a ring
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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