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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
468
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: fork · mate · press · perch · can · spell · stand · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. press — to push
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a friend
  15. press — a publisher
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spell — magic
  19. mate — a partner
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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