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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: perch · band · foot · pass · press · leaves · file · bat

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. file — a tool
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. press — to push
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pass — a permit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. band — a ring
  15. file — a document
  16. bat — the animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. band — a music group
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — to spend time

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