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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — to push
  4. season — of the year
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ball — a great time
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — the arms race
  9. press — newspapers
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. club — a group
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. track — to keep track
  16. club — for golf
  17. race — humankind
  18. press — a publisher
  19. track — a song
  20. race — a contest
  21. club — for dancing
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chair — a professorship

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