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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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — there
  4. staff — employees
  5. press — newspapers
  6. present — a gift
  7. rest — what's left
  8. net — in sport
  9. firm — a company
  10. staff — a stick
  11. firm — decided
  12. staff — employees
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rest — a break
  20. net — for catching
  21. last — final
  22. present — the time now
  23. plane — a tool
  24. press — to push

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