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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bank — for money
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bore — to drill
  11. press — to push
  12. kick — in football
  13. bank — for money
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — the most important part
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — for a lock
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bore — to tire
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — humankind

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