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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. press — to push
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a committee
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. club — a group
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. staff — a stick
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. press — newspapers
  20. board — to get on
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rush — hurry
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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