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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. clip — for paper
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. press — a publisher
  8. clip — a video
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. clip — to cut
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — to push
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — a safe

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