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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. net — in sport
  4. bound — certain
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — an aim
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — to push
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bound — tied together
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. bound — obliged
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. press — newspapers
  23. chest — a box
  24. safe — a strongbox

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