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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. mug — to rob
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bank — for money
  8. charge — in control
  9. season — in sport
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bank — for money
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spring — of water
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bank — of a river
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. charge — a price
  18. season — of the year
  19. press — newspapers
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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