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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 116 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. firm — decided
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. firm — steady
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — a weight
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. press — newspapers
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mine — an explosive

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