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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.

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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: ruler · lie · spell · wave · pitch · cap · leaves · press

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — letters
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. press — newspapers
  15. spell — magic
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. press — to push
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ruler — a monarch

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