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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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Word bank
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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. staff — employees
  6. kid — child
  7. march — music
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. staff — employees
  10. rest — what's left
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. rest — what's left
  13. press — to push
  14. kid — to tease
  15. press — newspapers
  16. march — the month
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. march — the month
  24. pitcher — a jug

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