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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. press — newspapers
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. clip — to cut
  14. net — in sport
  15. staff — a stick
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hand — help
  18. staff — employees
  19. clip — a video
  20. hand — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lean — to rest against

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