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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. suit — to fit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. drill — the tool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. kick — in football
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. press — to push

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