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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. present — a gift
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. press — a publisher
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. staff — a stick
  10. press — to push
  11. staff — employees
  12. chair — a leader
  13. present — the time now
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. season — in sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. press — newspapers
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chip — to eat
  24. present — there

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