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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. firm — a company
  6. chair — a leader
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bore — to tire
  9. firm — steady
  10. bore — to drill
  11. current — of water
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. current — electric
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. press — newspapers
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. firm — decided
  18. scale — in music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. scale — size or range
  24. current — happening now

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