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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — for dancing
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. club — a group
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. club — for golf
  17. can — to be able to
  18. branch — a division
  19. can — a tin
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — to push
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — to drill

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