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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
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: press · spell · pass · arm · row · leaves · lie · mug

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. spell — letters
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. row — a line
  6. spell — magic
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pass — a permit
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mug — a face
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — a cup
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — to recline

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