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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 116 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
468
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: trunk · coach · pitcher · fall · fine · lie · press · mouse

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fine — all right
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fall — the season

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