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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: stock · can · scale · press · leaves · lean · last · toast

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stock — shares
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stock — goods
  7. lean — to bend
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — in music
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — a tin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. can — to be able to
  18. toast — bread
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. last — final
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. press — to push
  24. scale — size or range

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