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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. kick — in football
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chair — a leader
  9. can — a tin
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. press — newspapers
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — a weight
  15. press — to push
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — clothes

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