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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. can — a tin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. scale — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — a committee
  9. lean — to bend
  10. press — newspapers
  11. firm — a company
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chair — a leader

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