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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 124 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chair — a leader
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. march — music
  8. toast — bread
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. press — to push
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — the month
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. pound — a weight

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