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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. chair — a leader
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. current — of water
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. press — a publisher
  13. drill — army training
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — in control
  16. drill — a practice
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. charge — a price
  19. drill — the tool
  20. press — to push
  21. current — electric
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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