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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: kick · game · stem · press · perch · file · fall · deal

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. press — newspapers
  3. file — a tool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. press — a publisher
  7. fall — the season
  8. game — a match
  9. file — a document
  10. kick — in football
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. deal — to handle
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. perch — the fish

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