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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rest — a break
  11. ground — a position
  12. rock — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ground — the earth
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. press — a publisher
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. drill — army training
  24. bear — the animal

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