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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · press · leaves · stand · spell · bay · cap · net

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. net — in sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. net — for catching
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stand — to bear
  11. press — newspapers
  12. net — after costs
  13. cap — a lid
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. file — a line of people
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. file — a tool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cap — of ice
  22. file — a document
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spell — letters

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