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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — in biology
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. squash — the sport
  23. press — to push
  24. staff — employees

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