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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: leaves · toast · racket · row · press · rest · lie · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. row — to paddle
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — a line
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. toast — bread
  17. press — a publisher
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — to push
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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