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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. root — of a word
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rock — music
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. scale — size or range
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — a stone
  14. charge — a price
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. press — a publisher
  18. march — music
  19. press — to push
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. root — the cause
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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