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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · leaves · drill · ground · mate · firm · saw · stick

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. drill — a practice
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. drill — army training
  9. firm — decided
  10. saw — the tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mate — a friend
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mate — to breed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — to push
  24. ground — a position

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