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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bound — certain
  3. file — a document
  4. ground — crushed
  5. file — a line of people
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bound — tied together
  12. press — to push
  13. file — a tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — music
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — to move gently

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