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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ground — the earth
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. press — to push
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bore — to drill
  23. staff — a stick
  24. board — to get on

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