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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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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: press · suit · leaves · fall · pop · mug · hide · ball

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pop — soda
  9. press — to push
  10. suit — to fit
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — to drop
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pop — to visit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fall — the season
  23. ball — a dance
  24. leaves — lets stay

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