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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. spell — a short time
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. object — to protest
  7. mate — a partner
  8. press — a publisher
  9. spell — letters
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mate — to breed
  17. can — a tin
  18. object — an aim
  19. press — to push
  20. object — a thing
  21. spell — magic
  22. current — of water
  23. chair — a leader
  24. press — newspapers

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