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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. staff — employees
  3. chair — a leader
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. press — a publisher
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. spell — letters
  12. staff — a stick
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. toast — bread
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. spell — magic
  21. plane — a tool
  22. press — to push
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. spell — a short time

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