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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 120 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chest — a box
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. march — the month
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. chest — of your body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. march — music
  20. press — to push
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — for light
  23. march — the month
  24. fan — a supporter

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