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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.

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: pop · chair · mug · leaves · perch · bay · press · wound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mug — to rob
  4. press — to push
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pop — soda
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mug — a face

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