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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.

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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: pop · lean · wake · suit · season · object · press · trunk

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. season — in sport
  7. object — to protest
  8. lean — thin
  9. press — to push
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pop — soda
  17. lean — to bend
  18. suit — in cards
  19. object — a thing
  20. season — of the year
  21. pop — music
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. object — an aim
  24. suit — clothes

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