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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — for a lock
  3. press — to push
  4. land — to come down
  5. season — of the year
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. season — in sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. press — newspapers
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bear — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. key — the most important part

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