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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hand — help
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chair — a leader

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