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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 120 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — a publisher
  4. craft — a skill
  5. staff — employees
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rest — what's left
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. field — a subject
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — boats
  14. press — to push
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. field — for sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. field — farmland
  22. rest — a break
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. craft — a handicraft

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