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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. staff — a stick
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pit — in a race
  11. press — to push
  12. staff — employees
  13. scale — in music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pit — a hole
  17. staff — employees
  18. pass — a permit
  19. press — newspapers
  20. net — for catching
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mouse — for a computer

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