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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. press — a publisher
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a dance
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — to push
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pit — in a race
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. press — newspapers
  19. season — of the year
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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