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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. drill — the tool
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. press — newspapers
  14. drill — army training
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cue — for pool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. drill — a practice

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