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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 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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. staff — employees
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chair — a leader
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kick — in football
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — the earth
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ground — crushed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — a position
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. press — to push

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