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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rock — music
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. staff — employees
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. staff — a stick
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mate — a partner
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — a friend
  18. chair — a leader

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