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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. present — there
  11. tube — the underground
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — to trim
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — a gift
  23. press — to push
  24. present — the time 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