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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pound — a weight
  7. scale — size or range
  8. saw — the tool
  9. present — there
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. present — the time now
  14. press — a publisher
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. press — to push
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — a gift
  23. scale — in music
  24. staff — employees

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