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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.

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: cell · leaves · fine · lean · press · saw · rock · field

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lean — thin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. press — to push
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. saw — the tool
  15. field — a subject
  16. fine — high quality
  17. field — for sport
  18. fine — all right
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cell — a phone
  23. field — farmland
  24. cell — in a prison

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