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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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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 · ball · press · fall · cell · roll · stick · object

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fall — to drop
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. press — to push
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ball — a great time
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ball — a dance
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. roll — a list
  15. cell — a phone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. object — to protest
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fall — the season
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a round shape

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