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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ground — crushed
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. court — for sport
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. cap — a hat
  9. staff — employees
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. object — to protest
  14. press — newspapers
  15. staff — employees
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ground — a position

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